Soups are low-calorie liquid meals that are nutritious, have taste, and have many benefits. The meal is often consumed in winters as it has a warming and soothing effect. This even helps it raise body metabolism and burn fats at a higher rate. Low-calorie soups are ideal for short-term weight loss journeys. Soup diets are often prescribed to patients and people who greatly need to shed weight. They are very low in calories and blended with healthy and nutritious ingredients that meet the body’s basic demands.
Most soup diets last for up to a week or 10 days and greatly reduce a person’s weight in this span. They should not be consumed in the long run to prevent deficiency of vital vitamins and minerals which our body gets from other main course meals.
There are a variety of low-calorie soups for different diets. Let’s get in and read about the famous soup recipes from different cuisines across the world.
Low-calorie Soups (recipes)
1. Chicken corn soup
For a serving size of 4 people
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken – 500 gram
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 medium-sized onion
- Salt – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Pepper – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Chili sauce – as per taste (or 2 tsp)
- Soya sauce – as per taste (or 1 tsp)
- Vinegar – as per taste (or 1 tsp)
- 1 cup corns
- 2-3 tbsp. corn flour / cornstarch
- 1 egg
Method
- Boil chicken and onions with ginger garlic paste and salt.
- Take the chicken out of the broth to cool down.
- Shred the chicken and add it back to the broth.
- Add all other seasonings and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Mix corn flour with water and add it.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes
- Add 1 beaten egg to the mixture.
- Garnish with black pepper or any other herbs of your choice.
Food Portions
The entire meal is very low in calories and carbs with the chicken broth rich in protein and providing energy.
- Carbs – ½ portion – corn flour + onion
- Protein – 5 – 6 portions – boneless chicken
Portion less vegetables and negligible calories in seasonings used.
2. Hot & sour soup
For a serving size of 4 people
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken – 500 gram
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 large size onion
- 1 cup cabbage
- ½ cup capsicum
- 1-2 green chilies
- Salt – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Pepper – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Chilli sauce – as per your taste (or 2 tsp)
- Soya sauce – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Vinegar – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- 1/2 cup corns (optional)
- ½ cup mushrooms (optional)
- 2-3 tbsp cornflour / corn starch
- 1 egg
Method
- Boil chicken and all vegetables except green chili with ginger garlic paste and salt.
- Take the chicken out of the broth to cool down.
- Shred the chicken and add it back to the broth.
- Add all other seasonings and finely cut green chilis and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Mix corn flour with water and add it.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes
- Add 1 beaten egg to the mixture.
- Garnish with black pepper or any other herbs of your choice.
Food Portions
The entire meal is very low in calories and carbs with the chicken broth rich in protein and providing energy.
- Carbs – ½ portion – corn flour + onion + capsicum + cabbage
- Protein – 5 – 6 portions – boneless chicken
Portion less vegetables and negligible calories in seasonings used.
3. Chicken / Mutton & Oats Soup
A very healthy meal, often known as the ‘Saudi soup’. Can be used with any type of meat with bones.
For a serving size of 4 people
Ingredients
- Chicken / button with bones – 500 gram
- 2 tbsp. ginger slices
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 1 large size onion
- Salt – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Pepper – as per your taste (or 2 tsp)
- 2-3 tbsp. Ground coriander
- 1 tbsp. Round and long pepper
- 1-2 cardamom
- 1-2 cloves
- 1 cup oats
Method
- Add meat ginger slices, garlic bulb, salt, pepper, and all other spices with water and boil it. (Cook in pressure cooker up to 2-3 whistles for red meat)
- Take the chicken / red meat out of the broth to cool down.
- Shred the chicken / red meat and add it back to the broth.
- Cook the mixture until all spices are well mixed and cooked.
- On low heat, slowly add oats to it.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Enjoy it with your favorite seasonings and spices.
Food Portions
The entire meal is very low in calories and carbs with the chicken broth rich in protein and providing energy.
- Carbs – ½ portion – Oats + onion
- Protein – 4 – 5 portions – meat
4. Lentils Soup
For a serving size of 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange lentils
- ½ cup yellow lentils
- Chili powder, salt, and crushed ground coriander – ( 1 tsp each) or as per taste.
- 1 small chopped onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- Few red whole round chili
- Few cumin seeds
Method
- Add the two types of lentils with seasonings and water and cook in a pressure cooker until 2-3 whistles.
- Then cook on medium heat and get your desired soup consistency
- Sauté chopped onions, garlic, red round chili, and cumin seeds in 2-3 drops of oil and add to the lentils soup.
- Garnish with your favorite herbs or black pepper.
Food Portions
- Carbs – 2 – 3 portions carbs – lentils
- Protein – 4 – 5 portions – lentils
5. Cabbage Soup
This soup is portion less and very effective for weight loss and fat shedding. However, it should never be the only meal consumed throughout the day. It’s preferable for a light dinner before bed.
For a serving size of 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 medium-sized onions
- Salt – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Pepper – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Chili sauce – as per your taste (or 2 tsp)
- Soya sauce – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
- Vinegar – as per your taste (or 1 tsp)
Method
- Add shredded cabbage with all seasonings in water
- Boil it until the cabbage and onions soften and make a thick consistency.
- Garnish with black pepper or your favorite herbs.
Food Portions
A portion less meal. Best to lose weight drastically.
There are many soup recipes worldwide from different cuisines. The ones listed above are the most healthy and the ones with the least calories. Therefore they are very effective for weight loss. However, they should be paired up with some side meals. In case a person only takes soup, a heavy lunch or breakfast should be taken to fulfil the body’s daily dietary demands.
You can read details on correct portion sizes to learn more about the food portions mentioned above.